Canham and Allen at the double as City bring Angels down to earth

Sean Canham and Chris Allen scored two goals apiece as Bath City stormed to their first win under new boss Lee Howells - and their first league success since September 1.

They had to survive a late scare after Tonbridge Angels scored two goals during ten minutes of injury-time but the result should give City a massive confidence boost after picking up just one point from the previous 18.

Howells made one change to the team which cruelly lost to Hayes & Yeading United last week, bringing in Josh Low for Kerry Morgan.

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And it was Low who played a crucial role in the opening goal, which came against the run of play after an opening 11-minute spell totally dominated by the hosts.

City's first attack saw Low show great tenacity to win the ball on the right and whip in a cross which hit Angels skipper Gary Elphick on the hand. The hosts claimed it was ball to hand but referee David Rock showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Canham's penalty was poor and easily saved by Lee Worgan but Low reacted quickest to the rebound and showed good awareness to square the ball for Canham, who this time found the net from six yards.

The goal gave City confidence and they were largely the better side for the remainder of the half, with Noah Keats curling a shot over from 20 yards and Allen forcing a fine save from Worgan after Canham's mis-hit strike had fell perfectly for him.

However, the keeper was powerless to prevent Allen's next shot finding the bottom corner of the net as City doubled the lead from another set-piece. Again referee Rock was not popular with the home fans after penalising Sonny Miles for barging Allen to the ground as he tried to shephard the ball out for a throw.

It was an unnecessary foul from the Angels right-back and was punished as Low's free-kick dropped to Allen, whose despatched his low drive with great power and precision.

Again the goal visibly lifted City and a wonderful move saw the two goalscorers combine to play in Keats, whose angled drive was pushed around the post by the impressive Worgan.

Glyn Garner was largely untroubled at the other end, although Rory Hill should have hit the target after he was played through by Frannie Collin midway through the first half.

City started the second half looking dangerous on the counter-attack and should have made it 3-0 in the 54th minute when Low instigated a break and then found himself with a clear sight of goal after Canham's shot was parried, only to drag his effort wide.

However, the winger made amends within 60 seconds as he won possession and showed good footwork to move the ball away from Schulz, whose desperate lunge sent Low tumbling to the ground.

There could be no complaints about the penalty this time and Allen made no mistake as he found the bottom-left corner after sending the keeper the wrong way.

Low was replaced by Luke Cummings soon after, while Angels boss Tommy Warrilow sent on Tom Davis and Aaron Gayle for the ineffectual Mark Lovell and Nathan Korangteng.

But City remained the better team and it needed two more superb saves in quick succession from Worgan to deny Allen from close range and Keats from 25 yards.

The visitors looked in total control by Angels gave themselves a glimmer of hope with 21 minutes remaining when Collin rose highest to head home an inviting cross from strike partner George Purcell.

But the three-goal cushion was quickly restored with a lovely finish from Canham. Adam Connolly brilliantly won possession in midfield and fed the striker, who used defender Schulz to keep Worgan unsighted before drilling a left-footed shot past the stranded keeper.

At the other end, Garner was called into serious action for the first time as he flung himself to his left to claw a Gayle rising strike to safety.

Canham was denied the chance of a hat-trick when he was replaced with five minutes to go by Brad Norris but the points looked well and truly in the bag by then.

However, Angels had other ideas and Elphick scrambled home from a free-kick in injury-time before, with 95 minutes on the clock, Gayle headed in a corner from close range.

The hosts also won two late free-kicks, the first of which they claimed hit a City hand and the second of which was tipped over by Garner.

That proved to be the last touch of the game as the referee finally blew after mystifyingly playing ten minutes of injury-time.